Shloka 45

अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa

Devanagari script

दारुको<वेत्य संदेशं श्रुत्वा शड्खस्य च स्वनम्‌

Transliteration

dāruko vetya saṃdeśaṃ śrutvā śaṅkhasya ca svanam

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having understood the message, and hearing the blare of the conch, Dāruka grasped the urgency of the moment—an unmistakable signal amid the turmoil of war that duty now demanded immediate action.

Word by Word

• दारुकः: Dāruka (name; the charioteer)
• दारुकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारुक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अवेत्य: having understood
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + इ (धातु: इ)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having known/understood

• संदेशम्: message
• संदेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु: श्रु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having heard

• शङ्खस्य: of the conch
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• स्वनम्: sound, blast
• स्वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dāruka
• śaṅkha (conch)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a war setting, clear signals and messages function as calls to duty: understanding instruction and responding promptly is portrayed as disciplined conduct (kartavya-buddhi) rather than impulsive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Dāruka understands a conveyed message and simultaneously hears the conch’s blare—an audible cue indicating urgency and the need to act in the unfolding battle situation.